Wind Energy Technology

Overview

Compentency: Analyzing the project management work flow for a wind farm (from the production resp. construction of turbine components to electricity generation and turbine maintenance)


Module type: elective module


Semester: summer


Site: Kassel


Language: English


Workload: 90 hours course attendance; 60 hours self-study


Credits points: 6


Recommended qualifications: none

Courses

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Mechanical Aspects of Wind Energy the students are able to:

  • apply their gained knowledge about the design of different wind turbines resp. single components and their material requirements on specific locations
  • identify the optimal location for a planned wind farm and to develop it after analyzing the requirements for construction, logistics and grid connection as well as national standards

Content

  • Wind turbine components:
    • different wind turbine designs and their components
    • functional requirements
    • aesthetic criteria
  • Mechanical drive train and machine house:
    • comparison of different design concepts
    • blade adjustment system, rotor brake
    • step up gears, generator coupling tracking of wind direction
  • Machine house design:
    • different gear boxes and mechanical drives
    • needed safety and braking systems
  • Loads and structural demands:
    • static aerodynamic and structural loads on blades and towers
    • dynamic loads on blades and towers
    • extra loads from the mechanical systems connected to the wind turbine
    • modeling to calculate the loads and structural demands
    • mechanical components and control system loads
  • Forces and performance curves for the wind turbine
  • Rotor blades in composite construction:
    • materials, composite material construction
    • rotor blade construction
    • rotor blade connection to the hub
  • Towers and foundation (design and varieties):
    • steel tube towers, concrete tower, lattice tower
    • suitable foundation
  • Planning, installation and operation:
    • planning wind farms
    • developing a Gantt chart to define when the different design / construction / testing and operation will commence
    • legislations for land and environmental operation
    • transport facilitations for wind farm
    • plant erection, testing and operation
    • safety aspects
    • service and maintenance
    • certification of wind power plants
  • Field excursion to German wind farm sites

Details

  • Lecturer: Michael Beyer
  • Teaching method: lecture
  • SWS: 3
  • Credit points: 3
  • Examination: written exam

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Electrical Aspects of Wind Energy the students are able to:

  • distinguish the design of different types of Wind Energy Converter and to analyze their function in different control concepts
  • be aware of different electrical networks and possible problems related with grid integration and grid control
  • apply mathematical models for control system design and plant simulation

Content

  • Components and functions of Wind Energy Converter (WEC):
    • main components of wind energy converters
    • rotor blade with pitch drive
    • input torque, generator
    • mechanical drive train
  • Calculation of blade setting and obtaining performance curves
  • Grid integration:
    • different electrical networks
    • grid influences
    • different problems related with grid integration
    • schemes for grid control
  • Control concepts and operational results:
    • island grid operation of WECs
    • grid operation, interconnection operation
  • Control system design and plant simulation:
    • plant components characteristics
    • control systems for the plant operation
    • development of mathematical models for control and simulation
    • dimensioning of the controllers

Details

  • Lecturer: Siegfried Heier
  • Teaching method: lecture
  • SWS: 3
  • Credit points: 3
  • Examination: written and oral exam